Pesthuys Podium

Opposite the Helpoort stands an old white building on the Jeker. From the outside, it is not immediately obvious that there is a theatre inside. The ‘ Pesthuys Podium ’ has just 55 seats. This means the audience sits close to the stage, giving performances here an intimate atmosphere.

A small theatre with a wide-ranging programme
The stage hosts both amateur theatre groups and professional performers. There are plays, cabaret, music, lectures and other performances. Various Maastricht-based theatre companies perform here regularly.

The theatre is run entirely by volunteers. Its small auditorium makes the ‘ Pesthuys Podium ’ very different from the city’s larger theatres: here, the actors and the audience are never far apart.

Paper was once made here
The building is much older than the theatre. In 1775, the Het Ancker paper mill was built here. The power of the flowing water from the River Jeker was used to make paper. Large openings in the roof allowed air to circulate inside to dry the wet paper.

Paper production ceased in the nineteenth century. Later, the building was put to other uses, and theatre companies also found a home here. The building has been listed as a national monument since 1966.

In the heart of the Jeker Quarter
Pesthuys Podium is situated opposite the Helpoort, close to the old city wall. The River Jeker flows right past the building. The old city gate, the river and the former paper mill are all situated close together here.

Fun fact
Contrary to what the name might suggest, the Pesthuys was never actually a plague house. People suffering from the plague were, however, once housed in this area. It was only much later that the name Pesthuys became associated with the building. The original name, Het Ancker, can still be seen in the cast-iron anchors on the walls.